The Chinese Gov’t Doesn’t Like Me!!!

/ Dennis A. Gray / 1 Comment

Well, It would seem that folks surfing the Internet in the People’s Republic of China are not allowed to read the musings of yours truly.


But then that’s hardly surprising when you think about it. I mean, it’s not like they would want the Christians in China being encouraged, or exchange ideas about what the Bible is really saying, or learn something of church history. No we can’t have that now can we? If you want to know if your favorite URL is blocked in China check out The Great Firewall of China. Just enter the URL in the space provided and see if their test location can access your site from inside China.

Sarcasm aside, it actually serves to remind us that we are extremely privileged in this country. For all of our complaining about inept government, inconvenient bureaucracies, lengthy commutes and the lineup at Tim Hortons, the fact remains that we are the most fortunate people in the world.

We live in a country where we are free to vote for the worst candidate, make the wrong career choice, and over indulge our every desire. We can be complete and total idiots and the only consequence will be those of our own making. There’s no one telling us where to live, what to do for a living, or what to think. We can worship who we want; Jesus or Buddha or Mohammed or no one at all. And it’s all because of the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice to secure these freedoms for us.

So I add my voice to the hundreds of others and ask you, when you see the poppy displays at Tim Hortons, or the veterans in the mall with the poppies and pins, please give generously, shake a hand, and say, “Thank You!”

Goodbye Old Friend

/ Dennis A. Gray / Leave a comment

I’ve been stalling on writing this one for a while now. I’ve even considered not writing it at all. But the need to write about it is not subsiding in the least. So here goes…

Two weeks ago Roberta and I had to put our cat, Remington, to sleep. You never fully realize just how much these small furry creatures infiltrate every corner of your life until they are no longer there. It’s been two weeks and I still wake up every morning wondering why Rem isn’t sitting on the landing outside our bedroom waiting for me to get up and feed him. It only takes a second to remember why. The heart sinks, and I wonder how long before I stop forgetting he isn’t there.

I’ve had three cats in my life and Remington is by far the most human of the lot. I know, we all tend to anthropomorphize to one degree or another, but Remington was scary sometimes.

From the beginning this Siamese/Russian Blue/Manx cross just did not behave like other cats I’ve had. He loved to play fetch, chasing a small nut and bolt wrapped inside a plastic baggy till my arm wore out. He had this almost human need to be around people, never aloof like other cats. Wherever we were – he was.

His penchant for conversation was enough to make you wonder about reincarnation. The most bizarre example of this was after his evening meal. He would wander over to the patio door and then look out into the back yard expounding to the neighbourhood about Lord knows what for about five minutes. I’m not talking a few meows here – I’m talkin’ full blown sentences made up of meows, mews, grunts, purrs, and other all too human sounding syllables complete with syntax, inflection and identifiable punctuation marks!

For over 15 years, from when he was just a kitten of seven weeks, my wife and I have been blessed with his companionship. He warmed our laps and our hearts, filling the quiet moments with the sound of laughter and contentment – ours.

Thank you Remington. You are greatly missed.

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What I Did on My Summer Vacation

/ Dennis A. Gray / Leave a comment

I was doing a 100 km tour on my bicycle over the Labour Day weekend when it occurred to me that I had not been on my blogs for nearly three months. In part it was because I really felt the need to take a break from it all, but the other half of it was the fact the the weather was just too nice to spend cooped up in my basement office staring at a computer screen. But now summer is over and it would seem the time has come to take a sledge hammer to my writer’s block and get back in the zone.

It wasn’t really all that eventful a summer. Mostly the days were spent (when I was not at work) enjoying a park, spending time with my wife Roberta, or just cycling all around town exploring areas of the city I haven’t seen is a while. The trips we planned to take didn’t happen, the parties we thought about holding never materialized, and yet there’s no disappointment because all in all – life is good.

 

 

There was one event however, that will stand out in my memory about the summer of 2007. A few weeks ago my friend Brian took Roberta and I up in the single engine airplane owned by the his flying club. I will admit there was a little apprehension as we made our way out to the runway. I’d been flying in a small plane many years ago and I don’t know if it was the weather that day, or the skill of the pilot I was with but it wasn’t the best experience of my life. I was determined however to give it another shot.

It was a terrific experience. I’m not afraid of heights, but I do have some issues when I’m not sure of my footing. Unsecured ladders, for example, can be a problem for me; but once my senses got accustomed to the idea of being suspended 1000ft above the ground with no visible means of support it was great fun. We took a bunch of pictures (my online album of them can be found HERE ) and I find that it was one of the most enjoyable photographic experiences I’ve had. I can’t wait for my next opportunity.

Among the many pictures we took was one of the Guelph water treatment plant (see pic). Brian’s comment at the time was, “Why does everybody always take a picture of the water treatment plant?” I’ve been giving the question some thought.

It’s because we didn’t know it was there! Well, we knew it was there – intellectually. Most of us realize that Guelph has a water treatment plant and a significant number may even know where it is, but I’m willing to suggest that the vast majority of Guelphites have never actually seen it and so we lack that personal point of contact that gives it a true sense of it being real. And I think it’s that way with a lot of things; it’s all a matter of perspective.

That was most exhilarating aspect of our time in the air, getting a different perspective on the city in which I have spent my entire life. The Church of Our Lady, my own little townhouse, the incredible amount of tree cover that Guelph has for a city that large, not to mention the incredible amount of treeless new subdivisions going up around its edges. Roberta and I both found that the change of perspective gave us a new appreciation for the places we took for granted as an everyday part of our lives.

So I’d like to publicly thank Brian for the experience and the new perspective. I can see where aerial photography could easily become an obsession if it is given the chance. The question now is, how do I feed that obsession without making a pest of myself. Though I did find this article on the web about aerial photography using a kite and an RC control. Now I’ll have to pester my brother Alex.

Later…..

The ROM Does Itself Proud

/ Dennis A. Gray / Leave a comment

I’ve always been a fan of innovative design in architecture ever since my Dad took me to see Frank Lloyd Wright’s “Fallingwater” when I was a kid. My father was a construction superintendent and he was always careful to make sure I understood that form does not always have to follow function. It’s one thing if a car parts warehouse is a big concrete and steel box, but the places where culture thrives, the places where people gather to express their creativity, individuality and spirituality need to reflect the events that take place inside them.

As I llok around the world at what is being done in other cities and then look at the bulk of modern Canadian architecture all I see is a glowing tribute to the bottom line. It’s never about what it looks like, what it inspires, what are the possibilities – it is only about how much it costs. Especially, it seems, when it comes to public buildings.

To make sure the taxpayer gets value for the tax dollar is indeed important, but it seems to me we must redefine “value.” It should not always be about only doing what is needed, it must also be about showing the world, our children and ourselves just how much we are capable of doing, just how great a legacy we can leave.